Cord-winding structure for mobile electrical appliance

ABSTRACT

A mobile electrical appliance having cord-winding structure therein for an electrical cord which is accessible exteriorly of the appliance and passes through the axis of an apertured supporting wheel rotatably mounted on the appliance at an opening in its side wall.

United States Patent Klingspur 1 May 28, 1974 1 1 CORD-WINDING STRUCTURE FOR MOBILE ELECTRICAL APPLIANCE 1 1 References Cited [75] Inventor: Christian Staffansson Klingspor, UNITED STATES PATENTS Stockholm, Sweden 2,112,776 3/1938 Harris 191/122 R X 2,949,251 8/1960 Sparklin 242/865 R 1 Asslgneei Aktlelwlaget Electrolux Stockholm 3,456,280 7/1969 Brown etal. ..15 323 Sweden 3,591,888 7/1971 Takeda 15/323 [22] Flled: May 1972 Primary ExaminerJhn W. Huckert [21] Appl. No.: 251,798 Assistant ExaminerJohn M. Jillions Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Edmund A. Fenander [30] M l ps-e51; lApgllczcljtion Priority Data 6024/71 ABSTRACT ay we en A mobile electrical appliance having cord-winding [52] U S C] 242/86 R /323 191/12 2 R structure therein for an electrical cord which is acces- 242/167 287/5207 sible exteriorly of the appliance and passes through 51 Int. c|..... Bh /42 B6511 75/48 A471 9/26 the axis apermfe'd Supporting l f l 58 Field of Search 242/865 R 107 R 1077 "mumed the apphance at Penmg 191/122 R, 12.4; 15/323, DIG. 10; 254/166; 301/112; 287/5207, 52.04, 52.06

wall.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEMAY 28 974 saw a a? a CORD-WINDING STRUCTURE FOR MOBILE ELECTRICAL APPLIANCE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Cord-winding structure often is provided for electrical appliances of the type that are movable over a floor or rug surface, such as vacuum cleaners and the like, for example. Such cord-winding structure includes a spool which is rotatably mounted within the housing of the appliance and has an electrical cord for supplying electrical energy to the motor of the appliance. The electrical cord, which is respectively wound on and unwound from the spool, is accessible exteriorly of the ap pliance and passes through an opening in its housing.

2. Description of the Prior Art In electrical appliances of the type movable over both floors and rugs, it has been the practice to employ supporting wheels which are as large as possible to promote mobility and stability of the appliance. A pair of such wheels is usually provided at one end of the appliance and a caster wheel often is employed at its opposite end to facilitate turning of the appliance on the surface over which it is being moved.

In many electrical appliances, and this is particularly true of vacuum cleaners, the cord-winding structure is located within the appliance at the end thereof at which the relatively large supporting wheels are located. This makes it difficult to find a suitable location for the opening in the appliance housing through which the electrical cord for the cord-winding structure passes exteriorly of the appliance.

For example, the opening for the electrical cord cannot be located at the rear wall of the housing because this will impart movement to the appliance when the electrical cord is being unwound from its spool, which is objectionable. Moreover, the opening for the electrical cord cannot be located at the top of the appliance, especially appliances like vacuum cleaners which are relatively light in weight because pulling the cord exteriorly of the housing will lift and raise the appliance from the supporting surface which also is objectionable.

Accordingly, it has been the practice to locate the opening for the electrical cord in a side wall of the appliance at a region which, of necessity, must be as close as possible to one of the relatively large supporting wheels. At such location of the opening for the electrical cord an angular momentum often is produced when the cord is being unwound from its spool which tends to upset or spin the appliance. This is especially true when an effort is made to pull the electrical cord outward from the cord-winding structure at an angle to the wall of the appliance to clear the supporting wheel adjacent thereto.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of my invention to provide an improved mobile electrical appliance having cord-winding structure therein for an electrical cord which is accessible exteriorly of the appliance and passes through an opening in a side wall at such a region that, when the cord is unwound from its spool, the appliance will not be subjected to angular momentum to any significant extent. I accomplish this by passing the electrical cord of the cord-winding structure through the axis of an apertured supporting wheel rotatably mounted at a side wall of the appliance at an opening therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing, FIG. I is a perspective view of a household vacuum cleaner of the horizontal type having cord-winding structure therein for an electrical cord which is accessible exteriorly of the cleaner and passes through a side wall thereof in accordance with my invention at an opening at which region an apertured supporting wheel is rotatably supported;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken at line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view, partly in section, taken at line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken at line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of parts shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 to illustrate details more clearly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Reffering to FIG. 1, my invention has been shown in connection with a horizontal tank-type vacuum cleaner 9 comprising a casing 10, a front end cover 13 and rear end cover 12. The casing 10 is provided with a handle 11 across the top 10a of the casing 10 and wheels 18 and 18' at the side walls 10b to facilitate movement thereof on a supporting surface. A caster wheel (not shown) may be provided at the bottom of the casing 10, at the front end thereof, such caster wheel being centrally disposed between the side walls 10b and rotatable about a vertical axis to promote turning of the cleaner 9;

The front end cover 13, which is removably secured to the casing 10 in any suitable manner, is formed with an inlet to which a suction hose I4 is adapted to be removably connected. Suitable cleaning tools may be connected to the outer free end of the suction hose l4 and through which air flows into the casing at the front end of which is disposed a dust bag (not shown) in which dirt is collected.

Flow of air through casing 10 is effected by a motorfan unit, a part of which is diagrammatically indicated at 31 and includes a motor and fan, respectively. The fan receives air which passes through the dust bag and is substantially free of dust and dirt, such air being discharged from the fan through end openings 31' in the motor housing and eventually passing through an outlet at the top 10a of the casing which is provided with a suitable screen 15. As seen in FIG. 2, the motor-fan unit 31 is mounted on an inner transverse wall or partition 30 of the rear end cover 12.

Cord-winding structure 8 is mounted within the rear end cover 12 between the inner and outer walls 30 and 29 thereof. The cord-winding structure comprises a spool 7 having a shaft 28 which is rotatably mounted in recessed portions of the walls 29 and 30. The spool 7 includes two circular side walls or flanges 25 and a substantially cylindrical barrel or hub 24 extending between the flanges and on which an electrical cord 21 can be wound.

One end of the electrical cord 21 extends out of the rear cover 12 through an opening 20 in the side wall thereof, and such end of the cord carries the usual plug 22 for an electrical outlet or receptacle. The axis of the opening 20 is transverse to the side walls 101; of the casing at a region between the spaced sides or walls 25. The other or inner end of the electrical cord 21 is anchored or connected to the spool 7. The inner end of the cord 21 is connected in any well known manner to the motor circuit which includes the motor of the motor-fan unit 31 and a switch 16. For example, one of the flanges or side walls 25 of the spool can be provided with concentric slip rings to each of which a different one of a pair of electrical conductors of the cord 21 can be connected. Further, leaf springs which form electrical connecting points to the motor circuit, can be provided with contact buttons which bear against the slip rings provided on the spool 7.

When the electrical cord 21 is withdrawn through the opening in the side wall of the vacuum cleaner 9, the cord is unwound from the spool 7 and the latter is rotated in one direction. In order to effect rewinding of the cord 21 on the spool 7, the spool is provided with a spring drive yieldably urging the spool 7 to turn in the opposite direction. The spring drive, which may be of any well known type and like that disclosed in US. Nilsson Pat. No. 3,339,030, includes a spring 27 which is disposed about an axially extending flange 26 which projects from one of the side walls of the spool 7.

In order to simplify the drawing, the connections of the inner end of the cord 21 to the motor circuit with the aid of slip rings on the spool 7 and leaf springs coacting therewith and the spring drive for the spool have not been shown, such electrical connections and spring drive being well known and their illustration not being necessary for an understanding of my invention. The disclosure in the aforementioned Nilsson patent may be considered as being incorporated in this application, and, if desired, reference may be made thereto for a detailed description of the cord-winding structure 8.

In accordance with my invention the electrical cord 21 is accessible exteriorly of the vacuum cleaner 9 and passes through the axis of the supporting wheel 18 which is apertured and rotatably mounted on the side wall of the rear end cover 12 at the opening 20 therein. The structure for mounting the wheel 18 on the cleaner at the opening 20 includes a hub part 33 in the form of a split hollow member which is slotted at 33a in a lengthwise direction to provide a plurality of resilient fingers 33b having outwardly extending hooks 35 at their outer ends, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. The hooks 35 function as radially movable catches arranged to engage the inner surface 36 of the side wall of the rear end cover 12 at the opening 20 therein.

When the hub part 33 is pressed inward at the opening 20 in the side wall of the rear end cover 12 the resilient fingers 33b initially flex inward as they are being moved through the opening and then snap outward when the hooks 35 reach the inner surface 36 of the cleaner side wall and are clear of the opening 20.

The mounting structure for the supporting wheel 18 further includes a hollow sleeve 34 having spaced axially extending lugs 34a and 34b projecting radially therefrom. The hub part 33 receives the hollow sleeve 34 with the lugs 34a extending into the slots 33a. With this construction the hollow sleeve 34 functions to maintain the catches 35 radially outward in engagement with the inner surface 36 of the side wall of the rear end cover 12 at the opening 20, as best shown in FIG. 3. As seen in FIG. 4 the outer surfaces of the lugs 34a do not project radially outward beyond the outer surface of the hub part 33 which also has been referred to as a split hollow member.

The hub part 33, which may be referred to as a first hub part, coacts with a second hub part 32. The second hub part 32 forms a stationary component of the casing 10, and more particularly the rear end cover part 12 thereof. As seen in FIG. 3, the side wall of the rear end cover 12 is U-shaped in traverse section and includes a pair of spaced horizontal arms 32a and 32 and a closed vertically disposed end 32b defining a recess to receive the upper portion of the wheel 18. The lower arm 32 is of circular form and defines the second hub part which is disposed about and envelops the first hub part 33.

As best shown in FIG. 4, the lug 34b of the hollow sleeve 34 projects through and beyond one of the slots 33a in the first hub part 33 and extends radially into a groove 32 formed at the inner surface of the second hub part 32. It will now be understood that the first or inner hub part 33, with the aid of the lug 34b of the hollow sleeve 34, is interlocked with the second or outer hub part 32 which forms a unitary part or component of the side wall of the rear end cover 12 at the opening 20 therein. With this construction angular movement of the first hub part 33 with respect to the rear end cover 12 is prevented.

The first hub part 33 is provided with a flange 38 which extends radially outward from its outer end and bears against the outer face of the wheel 18 and functions to retain the latter on the hub part 32. The flange 38 provides a surface which is in the path of movement of a snubber 23 which is fixed to the electrical cord 21 at a region removed from its outer end and functions to stop inward movement of the cord into the interior of the cleaner 9. Stated another way, the snubber 23 stops inward movement of the electrical cord at the opening 20, the axis of the apertured wheel 18 substan tially coinciding with the axis of such opening to provide a passageway through which the cord extends- A bushing 37 is disposed about the outer surface of the second hub part 32 and the surface of the wheel 18 defining the aperture 18a therein. The bushing 37 is provided with a flange 37a which is disposed between the outer surface of the rear end cover part 12 of the casing 10 and the inner face or side of the wheel 18, the outer face or side of which is acted upon by the flange 38 of the first hub part 33 to retain the wheel on the hub part 32. It will be seen that the flange 38 also acts against the outer end of the bushing 37.

The wheel 18 is provided with a tread 41 which can be formed of an elastomeric material, such as rubber or plastic. Since the flange 38 acts against the outer face of the wheel 18, an apertured member 39 overlies the outer face of the wheel 18 proper and is removable therefrom. Hence, the flange 38 actually bears against the apertured member 39 which can slide over the inner surface of the flange 38. In addition, the apertured member 39 is provided with a cover 40 to hold it against the outer face of the wheel 18. The apertured member 39, cover 40, the first hub part 33 including the flange 38 thereof and hollow sleeve 34 can be formed of rigid plastic or of metal.

The passageway for the electrical cord 21 is formed at the opening 20 by the first hub part 33 and the hollow sleeve 34, as seen in FIG. 3. When the cord 21 moves through the opening 20 in either direction there through, it is generally at an angle to the axis of the opening. The cord 2l usually is directed in a lateral direction toward the vertical sides of the opening and rarely upward or downward toward the top and bottom, respectively, of the opening. In order that the electrical cord 21 will move smoothly through the opening 20, the latter desirably is of oval shape with the longer sides vertical. Accordingly, the first hub part 33 and hollow sleeve 34 are formed so that the passageway formed in these parts is also oval-shaped in crosssection.

The wheel 18' at the side of the vacuum cleaner 9 opposite the wheel 18 shown in FIG. 3 and just described can be similar to the wheel 18 with one' change, namely, that the hub part 33 for the wheel 18' is formed with an imperforate flange which overlies and closes the opening 20 of the casing at which the wheel 18' is rotatably mounted. in this way the wheels 18 and 18 will generally look alike and the appearance of the vacuum cleaner will be enhanced. Moreover, duplicate parts can be employed to mount the wheels 18 and 18' on the vacuum cleaner except for the hub part 33 and flange 38, the flange 38 being apertured for the wheel 18 and solid or imperforate for the wheel 18, as pointed out above.

I claim:

1. In apparatus of the class described,

a. a hollow casing having a top, bottom and connecting side walls,

b. cord-winding structure disposed within said casing comprising a rotatable spool and an electrical cord spool,

c. at least one of the side walls of said casing having an opening,

d. means including at least one wheel for supporting said casing for movement on a surface, said wheel being apertured at the vicinity of its axis about which it rotates, and

e. means for rotatably supporting said wheel on said casing at the region of the opening in the side wall thereof,

f. the axis of said apertured wheel substantially coinciding with the axis of the opening in the side wall to provide a passageway through which said electrical cord extends exteriorly of said casing,

g. said means for rotatably supporting said wheel on said casing comprising a hub including a part extending inward toward said casing at the opening in the side wall thereof,

h. said hub part including resilient means which coacts with the inner surface of the side wall about the opening therein to removably fasten said hub to the side wall, and

. means interlocking said hub part and the side wall at the vicinity of the opening therein to prevent angular movement of said hub part about its axis with respect to said casing.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said resilient means comprises a plurality of radially movable catches forming a unitary part of said hub part, whereby said hub part defines a split hollow member.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which said interlocking means comprises a hollow sleeve positioned in said split hollow member which functions to maintain said catches radially outward in engagement with the inner surface of the side wall.

connected thereto which is wound on and from the,

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which said split hollow sleeve is oval-shaped in transverse-cross-section and the inner surface thereof defines the passageway through which said electrical cord extends.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim l in which said hub part is provided with a flange which extends radially outward from its outer end and functions to retain said apertured wheel on said hub, said electrical cord having a connecting plug at its outer end and a snubber fixed thereto at a region removed from its outer end, and said flange providing a surface which is in the path of movement of said snubber when said cord is being wound on said spool and functions to stop inward movement of said cord through said passageway.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 in which said hub part provided with said flange constitutes a first part of said hub, said hub including a second part which forms a stationary component of said casing and is disposed about and envelops said first hub part, and a bushing disposed between the outer surface of said second hub part and the surface of said wheel defining the aperture therein.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 in which said bushing includes a flange which is disposed between the outer surface of said casing and one side of said wheel, the opposite side of said wheel being acted upon by the flange of said first hub part to retain said wheel on said hub.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which said split hollow member comprises a plurality of axially extending fingers having slots therebetween, the outer extremities of said fingers having hooks serving as said catches, said hollow sleeve having at least one lug which projects radially therefrom and extends into one of said slots and functions to maintain said catches radially outward in engagement with the inner surface of the side wall.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 in which the wall includes a part which forms a unitary component thereof and is provided with'an internal groove, said hollow sleeve having an additional lug which projects radially therefrom and extends through another of said slots into said internal groove to prevent angular movement of said split hollow member about its axis with respect to said wall.

I 10. [n apparatus of the class described,

a. a hollow casing having a top, bottom and connecting side walls,

b. cord-winding structure disposed within said casing comprising a rotatable spool and an electrical cord connected thereto which is wound on and from the spool, said spool having spaced sides transverse to at least one of the side wallsof said casing,

c. said spool being rotatable in one direction for winding said cord thereon, said spool being rotatable in the opposite direction by unwinding of said cord from said spool,

(1. 'said one side wall of said casing having an opening, the axis of the opening being transverse to said one side wall of said casing at a region between the spaced sides of said spool,

e..means including at least one wheel for supporting said casing for movement on a surface, said wheel being apertured at the vicinity of its axis about which it rotates, and

orly of said casing and is movable therethrough into said casing when said spool rotates in the one direction and is movable therethrough out of said casing when said spool is rotated in the opposite direction by unwinding of said cord from said spool. 

1. In apparatus of the class described, a. a hollow casing having a top, bottom and connecting side walls, b. cord-winding structure disposed within said casing comprising a rotatable spool and an electrical cord connected thereto which is wound on and from the spool, c. at least one of the side walls of said casing having an opening, d. means including at least one wheel for supporting said casing for movement on a surface, said wheel being apertured at the vicinity of its axis about which it rotates, and e. means for rotatably supporting said wheel on said casing at the region of the opening in the side wall thereof, f. the axis of said apertured wheel substantially coinciding with the axis of the opening in the side wall to provide a passageway through which said electrical cord extends exteriorly of said casing, g. said means for rotatably supporting said wheel on said casing comprising a hub including a part extending inward toward said casing at the opening in the side wall thereof, h. said hub part including resilient means which coacts with the inner surface of the side wall about the opening therein to removably fasten said hub to the side wall, and i. means interlocking said hub part and the side wall at the vicinity of the opening therein to prevent angular movement of said hub part about its axis with respect to said casing.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said resilient means comprises a plurality of radially movable catches forming a unitary part of said hub part, whereby said hub part defines a split hollow member.
 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which said interlocking means comprises a hollow sleeve positioned in said split hollow member which functions to maintain said catches radially outward in engagement with the inner surface of the side wall.
 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which said split hollow sleeve is oval-shaped in transverse cross-section and the inner surface thereof defines the passageway through which said electrical cord extends.
 5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said hub part is provided with a flange which extends radially outward from its outer end and functions to retain said apertured wheel on said hub, said electrical cord having a connecting plug at its outer end and a snubber fixed thereto at a region removed from its outer end, and said flange providing a surface which is in the path of movement of said snubber when said cord is being wound on said spool and functions to stop inward movement of said cord through said passageway.
 6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 in which said hub part provided with said flange constitutes a first part of said hub, said hub including a second part which forms a stationary component of said casing and is disposed about and envelops said first hub part, and a bushing disposed between the outer surface of said second hub part and the surface of said wheel defining the aperture therein.
 7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 in which said bushing includes a flange which is disposed between the outer surface of said casing and one side of said wheel, the opposite side of said wheel being acted upon by the flange of said first hub part to retain said wheel on said hub.
 8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which said split hollow member comprises a plurality of axially extending fingers having slots therebetween, the outer extremities of said fingers having hooks serving as said catches, said hollow sleeve having at least one lug which projects radially therefrom and extends into one of said slots and functions to maintain said catches radially outward in engagement with the inner surface of the side wall.
 9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 in which the wall includes a part which forms a unitary component thereof and is provided with an internal groove, said hollow sleeve having an additional lug which projects radially therefrom and extends through another of said slots into said internal groove to prevent angular movement of said split hollow member about its axis with respect to said wall.
 10. In apparatus Of the class described, a. a hollow casing having a top, bottom and connecting side walls, b. cord-winding structure disposed within said casing comprising a rotatable spool and an electrical cord connected thereto which is wound on and from the spool, said spool having spaced sides transverse to at least one of the side walls of said casing, c. said spool being rotatable in one direction for winding said cord thereon, said spool being rotatable in the opposite direction by unwinding of said cord from said spool, d. said one side wall of said casing having an opening, the axis of the opening being transverse to said one side wall of said casing at a region between the spaced sides of said spool, e. means including at least one wheel for supporting said casing for movement on a surface, said wheel being apertured at the vicinity of its axis about which it rotates, and f. means for rotatably supporting said wheel on said casing substantially at the opening in the side wall thereof g. the axis of said apertured wheel coinciding with the axis of the opening in the side wall to provide a passageway through which said cord extends exteriorly of said casing and is movable therethrough into said casing when said spool rotates in the one direction and is movable therethrough out of said casing when said spool is rotated in the opposite direction by unwinding of said cord from said spool. 